News

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Before embattled Congressman Steve Southerland and Al Lawson meet tonight for their debate in Panama City, Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Scott Arceneaux today held a news-conference to expose the Real Steve Southerland — a politician who's become part of the problem in Congress and is rubber stamping an extreme agenda that is hurting middle class families.

Southerland knows that his words and actions are out of touch with north Florida's values, and tonight he'll undoubtedly try to lie and mislead voters about his extreme record in Washington. That's why today, the Florida Democratic Party is releasing three fact checks on the Real Steve Southerland: highlighting how Congressman Southerland has voted against the interests of women and families, voted to raise healthcare costs for seniors, raise taxes on middle class families and shown time and again that he's part of the problem in Washington.

"The more north Florida families learn about the real Steve Southerland and his extreme record, the more they know that Southerland has become part of the problem in Washington," said Scott Arceneaux, Executive Director of the Florida Democratic Party. "Congressman Southerland voted to raise taxes on middle class families, increase the cost of healthcare for seniors and restrict access to lifesaving healthcare for women— and whether he's refusing to pay his taxes on time while buying himself a luxury boat, railing against stimulus funding after accepting stimulus dollars himself, or complaining about his $174,000 a year salary — Southerland has shown time and again that he's out touch with Florida's values. After watching Southerland's hypocrisy and learning about his record of saying one thing while doing the exact opposite, it's become impossible for Florida's seniors, women and middle class families to believe a word he says, and he's proven that he simply can't be trusted with our country's future."

Recent polling shows that the race between Congressman Southerland and Al Lawson is tied, with the embattled incumbent looking increasingly vulnerable.

"I’ve said it before. I’ll say it again. The DREAMers are our neighbors, they're our friends. They are our high school valedictorians, and they are our veterans. They were brought to this country before they ever even knew of the significance of their trip, and they have benefited our communities greatly. And so it's clear that America is stronger for a person like Elisha Dawkins. And as this Congress comes to a close, I want to remind all of us and urge us to remember next year, when there's an attempt to turn around that White House executive order, I want us to remember the faces of people like Elisha Dawkins, and I want us to come together and to acknowledge their many contributions to this great country." —Sen. Bill Nelson